“Forgive me if this is rude…”: David Letterman Asked if Jennifer Aniston’s “Still Traumatized” after He Sucked on Her Hair
A rediscovered 1998 interview from the Late Show brought attention to an uncomfortable moment involving David Letterman and actress Jennifer Aniston. This resurgence of old interviews, in light of The New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears, which delves into the media’s treatment of celebrities, prompted a reexamination of the conduct of media personalities in the past. In this particular episode, Letterman engaged in an on-air interaction with Jennifer Aniston that took an unexpected and awkward turn.
Initially, the conversation between Letterman and Aniston appeared to be friendly, albeit marked by Letterman’s inquiry into whether the Friends star, then around 29 years old, was “naked” during her story about encountering fans in a steam room. However, things turned more awkward when Letterman attempted something weird.
When David Letterman ‘traumatized’ Jennifer Aniston on his show
While interacting with David Letterman, the atmosphere of the show shifted dramatically when Letterman interrupted the flow of the conversation, uttering, “Forgive me if this is rude. I just want to try one thing.” Following this he proceeded to maneuver his chair behind Jennifer Aniston, placing his hand on her shoulder, and attempted to awkwardly ingest a strand of her hair.
Aniston’s surprised reaction was evident as she audibly squealed and questioned Letterman’s actions. Ignoring her inquiry, Letterman continued to suck on the strand of hair until it fell from his mouth. He then handed Aniston a napkin to dry her hair, attempting to alleviate the awkwardness of the situation by jesting that they would edit out the peculiar moment. Aniston responded, “That was something that I’ll never forget.”
Following the uncomfortable incident, Aniston appeared visibly shaken, prompting Letterman to comment that she seemed “traumatized.” Aniston candidly responded, “I am.” And unsurprisingly, the resurfaced interview garnered significant attention on social media, with viewers expressing a range of reactions.
Viewers express disgust with David Letterman’s actions that traumatized Jennifer Aniston
While sharing their views on Twitter (now X), some viewers seemed puzzled by the unexpected nature of the hair-sucking incident, while others criticized it as an invasive and unsettling intrusion into Aniston’s personal space.
The resurfaced video prompted them to discuss the dynamics that have characterized celebrity interviews and interactions in the past, leading to discussions about the treatment of individuals in the public eye and the evolving standards of media conduct.
Cringeworthy! Poor Jen, wasn’t ok then and isn’t ok now! The fact that 100’s of people watched and laughed at this behaviour is so so sad. I hope we have advanced and this would no longer be acceptable!!
— Hazel (@hazboo111) October 10, 2021
What’s disgusting and repulsive is there’s no consent, she’s obviously upset and uncomfortable, afraid of what he’s going to do. And then he blames her for ruining it for him, as if it was his right??!! Then she apologizes to him when he should’ve been apologizing to her! 😡🤯🤬
— Tara Marie (@Talltara676) March 1, 2021
And he starts by saying, “Forgive me if this rude.” Um….hell yeah that’s rude, inappropriate and further, he knew he shouldn’t do it! She looked so uncomfortable during and after!
— Carolyn (@Dundeeof6) February 19, 2021
It’s sad what men were allowed to get away with for so long. And heaven forbid a woman try to say no or defend herself. So disturbing to watch.
— Bloom (@Bloom_Town) February 20, 2021
I get that some things are from a different time when we got offended by less but I don’t ever remember something like this being acceptable growing up in the 90s.
— T 4 Prez (@president_tits) February 20, 2021
Jennifer Aniston’s appearance on the Late Show in 1998 was not her last interaction with the late-night host. The actress returned for multiple interviews on the show in the years that followed.
Source: Insider
